Long sunny days followed by breezy evenings bring a certain magic to summertime. Even as we get older and don’t have our own 3-month summer vacation, we can still enjoy and soak up as much summer as possible. We get to share in the magic as our kids discover summer. It seems like each summer is new too as they get older and can do new fun summer activities. So here are a few summer bucket list ideas so you can soak up every beautiful moment.

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Related post: Fun Fall Activities – Fall Bucket List

Summer Bucket List Ideas

(Be sure to tell me in the comments what’s on your list this year!)

1. Spend a day at a lakefront

2. Eat popsicles for breakfast.

3. See fireworks

4. Host a BBQ just because

5. Make s’mores

6. Go camping. Make reservations through Reserve America.

7. Go on a hike

8. Visit the farmer’s market or join a CSA (Check out How to Choose a CSA and How to Find a CSA)

9. See the ocean

10. Sleep outside

11. See a meteor shower (You could even host a star-gazing party!)

12. Go to a drive-in movie

13. Go strawberry, blueberry, peach or apple picking

14. Take a nap in a hammock

15. Have a bonfire

16. Watch a parade

17. Visit a local ice cream shop

18. Grow your own veggies. Check out What I’m Growing This Year and 8 Simple Steps to Starting Your Garden.

19. Ride bikes on a bike path

20. Do a stay-cation

21. Fly a kite

22. Blow bubbles

23. Draw with sidewalk chalk

24. Get an ice cream cone from an ice cream truck (My favorite is ChocoTaco!)

25. Take a full moon hike

26. Catch fireflies

27. Go to a country fair

28. Make sun tea

29. Try some new no-oven recipes

30. Have watermelon seed-spitting contest

31. Go fishing

32. Sit on a park bench and watch the world go by

33. Eat fresh seafood caught that day (I once watched my cousin devour 3 lobsters that had just been brought in from the boat in Prince Edward Island, Canada.)

34. Catch the sunset or sunrise by yourself

35. Attend a live outdoor concert

36. Make a wildflower bouquet

37. Go to a ballgame

38. Look for new books by your favorite author

39. Visit the zoo or aquarium

40. Play hookey from work or school

41. Take time for your favorite hobby (gardening, photography, painting, music)

42. Do a wine or beer tasting

43. Visit an amusement or water park

44. Have a water balloon fight

45. Have a drink with an umbrella in it

46. Participate in a family fun run (did you know that lots of races support local causes?)

47. Play in the sprinkler

48. Make a mud pie

49. Do a driveway car wash and enlist the kids

50. Make a big breakfast buffet of everyone’s favorites

51. Skip rocks

52. Feed the ducks (This was one of my favorite memories with my grandfather.)

53. Build a fort

54. Find animal shapes in the clouds

55. Volunteer at a community clean up

56. Build a sand castle

57. Roll down the hill

58. Invite neighbors over for a block party

59. Go on a horseback ride

60. Grab some cheese, crusty bread, and fresh fruit and have a picnic

61. Go on a kayak or canoe ride

62. Do a paint night with your best friends

63. Get a good date in with your spouse

64. Rock your bathing suit and get in the pictures with your kids

65. Climb a tree

66. Collect seashells

67. Try a workout in the park

68. Do a scavenger hunt

69. Make a flower crown

70. Do a new science project (bonus points if it’s messy!)

71. Find a four leaf clover

72. Tie dye a shirt

73. Walk to a bakery and enjoy fresh pastries on a park bench

74. Visit a fancy home with gardens

75. Catch some Shakespeare in the Park

76. Go out for brunch

77. Have a summer pen pal

78. Make a kindness rock

79. Do a nature rubbing

80. Be in a summer play

81. Host a lemonade stand

82. Make your own popsicles. We love homemade popsicles using these popsicle molds.

83. Go skinny-dipping (I won’t tell if you don’t!)

84. Visit an old college friend and their kids

85. Try country line dancing

86. Attend yoga on the beach

87. Go bowling

88. Check out paddleboarding

89. Try a new restaurant (bonus if they have outdoor seating!)

90. Take an overnight train

91. Have pillow fight

92. Make a sun-catcher

93. Make homemade jam

94. Practice some hula hooping!

95. Start a friendly competition over a potato sack race, three legged race, or egg toss

96. Build a string can telephone

97. Catch (and release) a frog

98. Do a no-screen day

99. Make slime

100. Be open to a new adventure!

 

I hope that you and your family have a wonderful and fun summer!

Be sure to tell me what’s on your summer bucket list in the comments below!